# Who are the five worst singers of pop music in the second half of the 20th century? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2017, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037 "2017-01-01T11:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/1 "2017-01-01T11:24:04Z")
I was listening t a little Leon Russell. Great writer and musician producer. But the voice is truly painful. This is not to pile on anyone. Everyone has his own special gift. To me Neil Young and Bob Dylan are two of the greatest singers ever. So who are the worst/most painful singers supporting possibly great, but at least passable, professional grade material? I came up with four and I’m still agnostic about the last slot. Leon Russell : This is the tip top of painful singing Kris Kristofferson - There is not no great moment of him singing. In his career. Literally. Ian Tyson and Sylvia Fricker - This act is so dense with bad singing it can get hilarious. Man, neither one of them should have been the singer. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/2 "2017-01-01T11:38:09Z")
This is almost impossible to answer with any consensus. One man’s Dylan is another man’s Freddie Mercury. FTR, _to me_, Leon Russell has always had a warm, soulful, and truthful voice. I have no problem with his music. Sorry I never went to see him live. “Painful” singers to me are the ones who go for gymnastics: Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, etc. They may have talented, full voices, but I cannot stand it for more than 5 seconds. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/3 "2017-01-01T14:53:36Z")
Nick Cave. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/4 "2017-01-01T20:40:19Z")
[Ok, so who are the other four?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcSlcNfThUA) ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/5 "2017-01-01T22:05:48Z")
1. Neil Young 2, Neil Young 2. Neil Young 3. Neil Young 4. Aaron Neville (Sliding around on a single note is not good singing) ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/6 "2017-01-01T22:12:42Z")
Alejandro Sanz Enrique Iglesias ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/7 "2017-01-01T22:53:31Z")
Leonard Cohen. Utterly brilliant lyricist, but his voice went from “unusual” to “painful” as he aged. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rainbow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d26b3c/32.png) [@black\_rainbow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rainbow)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/8 "2017-01-01T23:04:31Z")
Leonard Cohen’s voice stopped me from getting into his music for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/9 "2017-01-02T00:06:26Z")
Herb Alpert’s “This Guy’s in Love with You” was number one for four weeks. In 1968. That makes him a professional-grade singer of pop music. I’d rather listen to anyone anybody here has mentioned than hear his voice. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/10 "2017-01-02T00:12:52Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > [Ok, so who are the other four?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcSlcNfThUA) > [@Peanuthead](#): > > 1. Aaron Neville (Sliding around on a single note is not good singing) OK, I’ll go along with Aaron Neville and Tiny Tim. Good lord, Tiny Tim. . .wait, does he meet the OP’s conditions? I think he’d be more of a cover/novelty act. To the OP: [ul] [li]Liking Dylan and Neil Young, but HATING Leon Russell. . .wow.[/li] [li] Ian Tyson and Sylvia Fricker. . .who now? (off to YouTube!) Holy shit, that’s pretty damn bad! I have a feeling we could make a top-500 list off of country music alone. Performers could be on the eccentric side in the earlier days.[/li][/ul] I may have to back OP’s nomination of Ian Tyson and Sylvia Fricker, even though I’d never heard of them before. Assuming they meet the OP’s qualifications, which I have no idea if they do. I can’t really think of any others I truly hate, though I’m sure this thread will provide material a-plenty. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/11 "2017-01-02T00:49:29Z")
I love Neil Young’s vocals. Dylan’s too. But I cannot listen to any number of current pop singers, male and female, who think think the goal is to sing the loudest and hold the note the longest. It is increasingly noticeable on any of the singing competition programs. I call it the Big Finish Phenomenon. You can see the performer mustering their lung power for the Big Finish. And the audience cheers as though cancer was being cured on that stage. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/12 "2017-01-02T00:56:09Z")
Bob Dylan Neil Young Bruce Springsteen Tom Petty Keith Richards ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/13 "2017-01-02T01:11:21Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > So who are the worst/most painful singers supporting possibly great, but at least passable, professional grade material? Do you mean stuff that was passable _when they were actually singing_? Einar from the Sugarcubes is so bad that I won’t link to him, because I don’t think that the stuff with his singing is passable. But Bjork is one of the most talented singers alive, so when he _wasn’t_ singing, the group was at least passable and possibly great in some of their material. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/14 "2017-01-02T01:39:33Z")
Billy Corgan has got to get a mention in here somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/15 "2017-01-02T01:54:39Z")
Elvis Presley Paul McCartney John Lennon Mick Jagger Roger Daltrey Ray Davies The singing guy from Led Zeppelin The singing guy from the Eagles …only kidding; picking the MOST popular. I love the first five. But I can’t stand Zep or the Eagles. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/16 "2017-01-02T02:01:09Z")
I always found Melanie charming, [until she started singing.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5LzOlNZPCc) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/17 "2017-01-02T02:28:04Z")
Liz Phair may be a very perceptive observer WRT male/female relationships, but that does not mean she can sing, because she can’t. Madonna can’t sing either. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/18 "2017-01-02T02:46:36Z")
Dick Dale is pretty awful. (Though possibly not Pop Music.) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/19 "2017-01-02T03:16:34Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Dick Dale is pretty awful. (Though possibly not Pop Music.) You old misirlouable fuck! ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037/20 "2017-01-02T07:19:07Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > OK, I’ll go along with Aaron Neville and Tiny Tim. Good lord, Tiny Tim. . .wait, does he meet the OP’s conditions? I think he’d be more of a cover/novelty act. > > To the OP: [ul] > [li]Liking Dylan and Neil Young, but HATING Leon Russell. . .wow.[/li] > [li] Ian Tyson and Sylvia Fricker. . .who now? (off to YouTube!) Holy shit, that’s pretty damn bad! I have a feeling we could make a top-500 list off of country music alone. Performers could be on the eccentric side in the earlier days.[/li][/ul] > > I may have to back OP’s nomination of Ian Tyson and Sylvia Fricker, even though I’d never heard of them before. Assuming they meet the OP’s qualifications, which I have no idea if they do. > > I can’t really think of any others I truly hate, though I’m sure this thread will provide material a-plenty. Sylvia wrote “You were on my mind” and Ian wrote 'Four strong winds." They had many LPs as a duo on vanguard and had a roots rock group called great speckled bird. Yes Leon is horrible. And Neil and Bob are great. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-five-worst-singers-of-pop-music-in-the-second-half-of-the-20th-century/776037.md?page=2)